Invasive ‘Jumping Worms’ Discovered In Some MN Yard Waste Sites

During the last week of June, a Minnesota county paused distribution of mulch and compost after workers discovered some invasive worms. Just last week, the same county found more worms at another yard waste site. Here's what to know about the jumping worms.

Ramsey County Finds Invasive 'Jumping Worms' At Yard Waste Sites

According to an online release from Ramsey County, sites in Arden Hills and White Bear Township have paused distribution of mulch and compost after workers spotted the invasive jumping worms.

"Workers saw what they suspected to be jumping worms at the Arden Hills yard waste site on June 28 and immediately paused mulch distribution at that site." The DNR confirmed the jumping worms on July 7th. Then, on July 8th, more jumping worms were spotted in the White Bear Township yard waste site. "Staff found suspected jumping worms at the White Bear Township site on July 8."

The White Bear Township worms, found on July 8th, have not been confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Why Are Jumping Worms A Problem?

You might be asking yourself, what harm can a worm do? Well, these jumping worms can be bad news for your yard or nearby parks. According to Ramsey County, jumping worms "quickly degrade soil, kill garden plants, and damage lawns. They look similar to nightcrawlers and other earthworms and can be identified by the way they wiggle intensely when disturbed."

How Can You Spot A 'Jumping Worm'?

While the jumping worm looks a lot like a regular earthworm, there is one telltale sign that you are dealing with a jumping worm, outside of its intense wiggling. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that the jumping worm has "a light-colored ring that extends around the body and is closer to the head than in other earthworms."

Another way to spot a jumping worm versus an earthworm is that "jumping worms are very active, move like snakes and secrete yellow mucus when agitated", according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Has Central Minnesota Seen Jumping Worms?

A quick look at an online map showing various species considered exotic to the US found 4 jumping worm reports in congressional district 6, which includes portions of Stearns and Benton counties and all of Sherburne County.

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According to Laura Van Riper, Terrestrial Invasive Species Program Coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the breakdown by county shows 2 reports from Stearns County, 2 in Sherburne County, and none in Benton County. 

Van Riper went on to state in an email that "there aren’t many options for control, the emphasis is heavily on prevention for jumping worm spread."

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